New Awards Aim to Raise Profile of BC Actors, Film Industry

A new awards ceremony that honours B.C. actors and aims to raise the profile of the province’s talent was held in Vancouver on the weekend amid much fanfare and glitzy red-carpet glamour.

The Union of B.C. Performers (UBCP), a branch of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) presented the first UBCP/ACTRA awards at Vancouver’s CBC studios on Nov. 24.
The inaugural event was attended by over 350 industry professionals.

Canadian actress and comedienne Ellie Harvie, best known for her portrayal of Morticia Addams in “The New Addams Family” TV series, hosted the event.

She says the new awards, which are separate from B.C.’s Leo Awards held each May, play an important role in acknowledging the province’s talent.

“This kind of event lets us celebrate our own—celebrate the great work that’s going on here, and also just touch base with everyone. It was a really great opportunity to just connect in the community, which we don’t often get to do.”

Harvie says the B.C. film industry has suffered since the introduction of the Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit, which helped position the eastern province as one of North America’s top filming destinations but drew talent away from B.C in the process.

“It’s a little tricky for us as B.C. performers, because those tax credits only apply to Ontario residents, so we can’t even audition for the work there,” says Harvie. “A lot of us are moving to Toronto—I’ve considered that as well.”

“I really hope that the government does something to be at least competitive with Ontario, so that we don’t lose our industry completely,” she adds.

“We’ve certainly lost a lot of the gaming industry, a lot of productions companies, and a lot of our actors to the Ontario tax credit.”

Pete Mitchell, a former BC Film Commissioner who heads up Vancouver Film Studios, has also warned that B.C.’s movie industry is having trouble competing with other regions that offer better tax incentives.

“There’s no real focus on the industry here right now and people in Ontario, Quebec, London, southern U.S., Australia are doing very well off what used to be our business,” Mitchell told CKNW.

Good Reputation

However, Harvie says it is possible to find success as an actor in B.C., and adds that Canadian actors in general have a good reputation because in order to compete in so-called Hollywood North, they often have to be extremely versatile.

“To be successful in Canada you kind of have to do everything—you have to do voice, you have to do theatre, you have to do TV and film, and just be a really well-rounded performer,” she says.

“People outside of Canada know how good we are. The American actors and producers who come here are always impressed with the talent, always say great things about Canadians.”

She notes that one of the most challenging tasks currently facing the Canadian film industry is convincing the politicians of its value and getting them to invest in it.

“I’m pretty optimistic. We have an election coming up [in B.C.] and I’m optimistic that whatever government forms in the spring is going to realize the value of this industry and work to protect it,” she says.

Harvie, who was born in Belleville, Ont., and now lives in Vancouver, has enjoyed a two-decade career as an actress in Canadian and U.S. films, television, and voice.
She advises any up-and-coming actors looking to make a successful career in Canada, to “do everything.”

“You really just have to be good at everything. … It’s a tough career, and you have to really want to do it.”

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